The Mustangs trailed 3-0 after six innings, and were just three outs away from suffering their second loss of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division season.

Then the Mustangs started to rally, and up stepped Brian McGee. His base-loaded double cleared the bags to spark a four-run rally and lead Homestead to a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Bruins.

It wasn't McGee's first experience playing the hero's role. He did it during the football season, when his spectacular fingertip touchdown catch in the final seconds of play gave the Mustangs a thrilling win over Piedmont Hills in the Central Coast Section semifinals.

Last Thursday, McGee did it again, and Chris McKim couldn't have been happier. The senior hurler put down the Bruins in the bottom of the seventh to nail the mound win in the 4-3 victory.

Senior Craig Maynard, who threw that touchdown pass to McGee last fall, led a seven-hit attack for Homestead with a couple of singles.

Homestead evened its league record to 1-1 with the win, and the Mustangs are 3-3 for the year. It's a year that veteran coach Chuck Camuso enters with a few question marks.

"Pitching is going to carry us," admits the longtime Homestead coach. "Gone are the good hitters we had last year [when the Mustangs posted an 18-11 record and advanced to the Central Coast Section playoffs]. Making it to CCS again will be tough."

McGee leads the Homestead attack this season. The senior pitcher/shortstop is a comeback all-leaguer this spring.

McKim is back after winning all-league honorable mention plaudits last year, and he'll split time between first base and the pitcher's mound.

Senior outfielder Will Hayes and junior third sacker Chris Bailey are other top returners for the Mustangs.

Maynard, an outfielder, is one of a handful of promising newcomers on the squad this spring. Junior catcher Easton Friedling, senior pitcher Tim Strombel, junior hurler Jeff Hungerford and sophomore infielders Craig Moberg and Joey Faber are other top prospects.

Homestead had opened the league season last week with a 6-3 loss to Los Altos. McKim ripped a double and Faber and senior Danny Sisemore each tripled in the loss.

McGee doubled and homered to drive in two runs and Faber singled and doubled to lead the Mustangs to a 6-2 non-league win over Mt. Pleasant. Maynard and Moberg also had two hits apiece, and Strombel was the winning pitcher.

McKim singled and doubled and McGee doubled home two runs, but the Mustangs lost a tight 4-3 decision to Serra in non-league play.


Firebirds open

Fremont, meanwhile, had the misfortune of opening De Anza Division play against Wilcox, a title favorite in the league. The Firebirds dropped a 20-3 decision to the Chargers, despite getting three hits from senior outfielder Matt Martinez.

Martinez doubled and singled twice in the loss. Senior Daniel Murrell had two hits, and freshman Nathan Cathcart ripped a double.

"We have good athletes but very little experience," said coach Mike Smith. "We are going to have to scrap to compete in every ball game."

Still, the coach picks his club for a top-three finish in the division, with Wilcox and Los Gatos the title favorites.

Martinez is joined by senior pitcher/shortstop Ryan Boardman, senior third baseman Scott Boardman, senior catcher Jack Chapman, senior first sacker/designated hitter Brett Bonetti and senior infielder Rocky Russell as top returners for Fremont this spring.

Cathcart is one of three players Smith considers talented newcomers. Junior infielder Chris Knopt and sophomore pitcher/outfielder Dan Bergeron are other Fremont prospects.

Fremont lost a pair of games in the St. Francis Tournament, falling 13-4 to Serra and 11-1 to Leigh. Knopf had two hits in the loss to the Longhorns, and Chapman had two hits and Murrell doubled in the loss to the Padres.


Teeing it up

David Krause and Eric Domke are teeing it up again this spring for the Homestead golf team, and the two have helped the Mustangs get off to a solid start in play in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

Krause returns as the top player for the Mustangs again this season, with Domke playing in the No. 2 spot. Kurt Dodge, Daniel Cochran and Geoffrey Bazinett round out the top five for Homestead.

It was Bazinett who claimed medalist honors for the Mustangs when they pushed their league record to 2-0 last week with a 128-148 win over Cupertino. Bazinett carded a one-over par 31 at the Deep Cliff Golf Course to lead Homestead to the victory.

The Mustangs, 3-0 for the year, had opened league play with a tight 142-157 win over rival Fremont at the Sunnyvale Municipal Golf Course. Krause and Domke finished with matching 35s, even par at Muni.

Fremont, meanwhile, is 2-1-1 in league play behind the efforts of senior returner Jason Simon.

Simon, the defending league champion, shot even par with a 36 at the Shorelines Golf Course to lead the Firebirds past Mountain View 157-167, and he was one-under with a 29 at Deep Cliff in a 143-143 tie with Cupertino. The Pioneers are now 0-3-1 in league play.

Junior letterman Edison Tran and sophomore newcomer Allen Chen were each two-over with 37s at Sunnyvale Muni in a 150-158 win over Gunn.

Sophomore Naomi Kim is another top prospect for the Firebirds this spring."We have grown, matured and expect great things," said Fremont coach Aaron Eeg, who predicts a top-three finish in the league for his squad this season. "Homestead, Palo Alto and Los Altos will all be a great challenge."

In El Camino Division play last week, Anthony Cochrane finished with a four-over par 38 at the Saratoga Country Club to lead Monta Vista to a 155-192 win over Santa Clara. The Matadors are 3-0 in the division.

Lynbrook, meanwhile, lost 130-144 to Milpitas at Deep Cliff to slip to 0-4 in the division.


Lesui stars

Lance Lesui hammered 19 kills to lead the Fremont boys volleyball team to a 15-7, 15-17, 15-10, 15-4 non-league win over Prospect. The Firebirds improved to 2-1.

Homestead pulled out a 15-2, 15-2, 10-15, 4-2 win over Leigh in a match stopped because of a power outage. The victory left the Mustangs 1-0.